miss sarah jack, of spanish town, jamaica-第2章

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loved　England　she　was　very　loud　in　denouncing　what　she　called　the
perfidy　of　the　mother　to　the　brightest　of　her　children。　　And　much　as
she　loved　Jamaica　she　was　equally　severe　in　her　taunts　against　those
of　her　brother…islanders　who　would　not　believe　that　the　island　might
yet　flourish　as　it　had　flourished　in　her　father's　days。

〃It　is　because　you　and　men　like　you　will　not　do　your　duty　by　your
country；〃　she　had　said　some　score　of　times　to　Mauricenot　with　much
justice　considering　the　laboriousness　of　his　life。

But　Maurice　knew　well　what　she　meant。　　〃What　could　I　do　there　up　at
Spanish　Town；〃　he　would　answer；　〃among　such　a　pack　as　there　are
there？　　Here　I　may　do　something。〃

And　then　she　would　reply　with　the　full　swing　of　her　eloquence；　〃It　is
because　you　and　such　as　you　think　only　of　yourself　and　not　of
Jamaica；　that　Jamaica　has　come　to　such　a　pass　as　this。　　Why　is　there
a　pack　there　as　you　call　them　in　the　honourable　House　of　Assembly？
Why　are　not　the　best　men　in　the　island　to　be　found　there；　as　the　best
men　in　England　are　to　be　found　in　the　British　House　of　Commons？　　A
pack；　indeed！　　My　father　was　proud　of　a　seat　in　that　house；　and　I
remember　the　day；　Maurice　Cumming；　when　your　father　also　thought　it
no　shame　to　represent　his　own　parish。　　If　men　like　you；　who　have　a
stake　in　the　country；　will　not　go　there；　of　course　the　house　is
filled　with　men　who　have　no　stake。　　If　they　are　a　pack；　it　is　you　who
send　them　there；you；　and　others　like　you。〃

All　had　its　effect；　though　at　the　moment　Maurice　would　shrug　his
shoulders　and　turn　away　his　head　from　the　torrent　of　the　lady's
discourse。　　But　Miss　Jack；　though　she　was　not　greatly　liked；　was
greatly　respected。　　Maurice　would　not　own　that　she　convinced　him；　but
at　last　he　did　allow　his　name　to　be　put　up　as　candidate　for　his　own
parish；　and　in　due　time　he　became　a　member　of　the　honourable　House　of
Assembly　in　Jamaica。

This　honour　entails　on　the　holder　of　it　the　necessity　of　living　at　or
within　reach　of　Spanish　Town　for　some　ten　weeks　towards　the　chose　of
every　year。　　Now　on　the　whole　face　of　the　uninhabited　globe　there　is
perhaps　no　spot　more　dull　to　look　at；　more　Lethean　in　its　aspect；
more　corpse…like　or　more　cadaverous　than　Spanish　Town。　　It　is　the
head…quarters　of　the　government；　the　seat　of　the　legislature；　the
residence　of　the　governor；but　nevertheless　it　is；　as　it　were；　a
city　of　the　very　dead。

Here；　as　we　have　said　before；　lived　Miss　Jack　in　a　large　forlorn
ghost…like　house　in　which　her　father　and　all　her　family　had　lived
before　her。　　And　as　a　matter　of　course　Maurice　Cumming　when　he　came
up　to　attend　to　his　duties　as　a　member　of　the　legislature　took　up　his
abode　with　her。

Now　at　the　time　of　which　we　are　specially　speaking　he　had　completed
the　first　of　these　annual　visits。　　He　had　already　benefited　his
country　by　sitting　out　one　session　of　the　colonial　parliament；　and
had　satisfied　himself　that　he　did　no　other　good　than　that　of　keeping
away　some　person　more　objectionable　than　himself。　　He　was　however
prepared　to　repeat　this　self…sacrifice　in　a　spirit　of　patriotism　for
which　he　received　a　very　meagre　meed　of　eulogy　from　Miss　Jack；　and　an
amount　of　self…applause　which　was　not　much　more　extensive。

〃Down　at　Mount　Pleasant　I　can　do　something；〃　he　would　say　over　and
over　again；　〃but　what　good　can　any　man　do　up　here？〃

〃You　can　do　your　duty；〃　Miss　Jack　would　answer；　〃as　others　did　before
you　when　the　colony　was　made　to　prosper。〃　　And　then　they　would　run
off　into　a　long　discussion　about　free　labour　and　protective　duties。
But　at　the　present　moment　Maurice　Cumming　had　another　vexation　on　his
mind　over　and　above　that　arising　from　his　wasted　hours　at　Spanish
Town；　and　his　fruitless　labours　at　Mount　Pleasant。　　He　was　in　love；
and　was　not　altogether　satisfied　with　the　conduct　of　his　lady…love。

Miss　Jack　had　other　nephews　besides　Maurice　Cumming；　and　nieces　also；
of　whom　Marian　Leslie　was　one。　　The　family　of　the　Leslies　lived　up
near　Newcastlein　the　mountains；　that　is；　which　stand　over　Kingston…
…at　a　distance　of　some　eighteen　miles　from　Kingston；　but　in　a　climate
as　different　from　that　of　the　town　as　the　climate　of　Naples　is　from
that　of　Berlin。　　In　Kingston　the　heat　is　all　but　intolerable
throughout　the　year；　by　day　and　by　night；　in　the　house　and　out　of　it。
In　the　mountains　round　Newcastle；　some　four　thousand　feet　above　the
sea；　it　is　merely　warm　during　the　day；　and　cool　enough　at　night　to
make　a　blanket　desirable。

It　is　pleasant　enough　living　up　amongst　those　green　mountains。　　There
are　no　roads　there　for　wheeled　carriages；　nor　are　there　carriages
with　or　without　wheels。　　All　journeys　are　made　on　horseback。　　Every
visit　paid　from　house　to　house　is　performed　in　this　manner。　　Ladies
young　and　old　live　before　dinner　in　their　riding…habits。　　The
hospitality　is　free；　easy；　and　unembarrassed。　　The　scenery　is
magnificent。　　The　tropical　foliage　is　wild　and　luxuriant　beyond
measure。　　There　may　be　enjoyed　all　that　a　southern　climate　has　to
offer　of　enjoyment；　without　the　penalties　which　such　enjoyments
usually　entail。

Mrs。　Leslie　was　a　half…sister　of　Miss　Jack；　and　Miss　Jack　had　been　a
half…sister　also　of　Mrs。　Cumming；　but　Mrs。　Leslie　and　Mrs。　Cumming
had　in　no　way　been　related。　　And　it　had　so　happened　that　up　to　the
period　of　his　legislative　efforts　Maurice　Cumming　had　seen　nothing　of
the　Leslies。　　Soon　after　his　arrival　at　Spanish　Town　he　had　been
taken　by　Miss　Jack　to　Shandy　Hall；　for　so　the　residence　of　the
Leslies　was　called；　and　having　remained　there　for　three　days；　had
fallen　in　love　with　Marian　Leslie。　　Now　in　the　West　Indies　all　young
ladies　flirt；　it　is　the　first　habit　of　their　natureand　few　young
ladies　in　the　West　Indies　were　more　given　to　flirting；　or　understood
the　science　better　than　Marian　Leslie。

Maurice　Cumming　fell　violently　in　love；　and　during　his　first　visit　at
Shandy　Hall　found　that　Marian　was　perfectionfor　during　this　first
visit　her　propensities　were　exerted　altogether　in　his　own　favour。
That　little　circumstance　does　make　such　a　difference　in　a　young　man's
judgment　of　a　girl！　　He　came　back　fall　of　admiration；　not　altogether
to　Miss　Jack's　dissatisfaction；　for　Miss　Jack　was　willing　enough　that
both　her　nephew　and　her　niece　should　settle　down　into　married　life。

But　then　Maurice　met　his　fair　one　at　a　governor's　ballat　a　ball
where　red　coats　abounded；　and　aides…de…camp　dancing　in　spurs；　and
narrow…waisted　lieutenants　with　sashes　or　epaulettes！　　The　aides…de…
camp　and　narrow…waisted　lieutenants　waltzed　better　than　he　did；　and
as　one　after　the　other　whisked　round　the　ball…room　with　Marian　firmly
clasped　in　his　arms；　Maurice's　feelings　were　not　of　the　sweetest。
Nor　was　this　the　worst　of　it。　　Had　the　whisking　been　divided　equally
among　ten；　he　might　have　forgiven　it；　but　there　was　one　specially
narrow…waisted　lieutenant；　who　towards　the　end　of　the　evening　kept
Marian　nearly　wholly　to　himself。　　Now　to　a　man　in　love；　who　has　had
but　little　experience　of　either　balls　or　young　ladies；　this　is
intolerable。

He　only　met　her　twice　after　that　before　his　return　to　Mount　Pleasant；
and　on　the　first　occasion　that　odious　soldier　was　not　there。　　But　a
specially　devout　young　clergyman　was　present；　an　unmarried；
evangelical；　handsome　young　curate　fresh　from　England；　and　Marian's
piety　had　been　so　excited　that　she　had　cared　for　no　one　else。　　It
appeared　moreover　that　the　curate's　gifts　for　conversion　were
confined；　as　regarded　that　opportunity；　to　Marion's　advantage。　　〃I
will　have　nothing　more　to　say　to　her；〃　said　Maurice　to　himself；
scowling。　　But　just　as　he　went　away　Marian　had　given　him　her　hand；
and　called　him　Mauricefor　she　pretended　that　they　were　cousinsand
had　looked　into　his　eyes　and　declared　that　she　did　hope　that　the
assembly　at　Spanish　Town　would　soon　be　sitting　again。　　Hitherto；　she
said；　she　had　not　cared　one　straw　about　it。　　Then　poor　Maurice
pressed　the　little　fingers　which　lay　within　his　own；　and　swore　that
he　would　be　at　Shandy　Hall　on　the　day　before　his　return　to　Mount
Pleasant。　　So　he　was；　and　there　he　found　the　narrow…waisted
lieutenant；　not　now　bedecked　with　sash　and　epaulettes；　but　lolling　at
his　ease　on　Mrs。　Leslie's　sofa　in　a　white　jacket